Related Articles:

Visitor Comments: 7

(5)
Yehudit R,
September 2, 2013 12:59 PM

why I give

I was walking with a friend and stopped to drop a few coins into a beggar's hand and wish him a good day. My friend asked why I had done that; after all, the beggar would probably just take my money and spend it on drugs or beer.I replied that giving to the beggars is my way of thanking Hashem for giving me the intelligence, the education, the drive, and the health to be able to hold down a fulfilling job, to earn a decent living, and to be able to help others who have not been so blessed.

Jaya,
September 2, 2013 1:01 PM

Your thoughts !

Your thoughts are very uplifting for me .

Patrick,
October 7, 2013 2:09 PM

Splendid answer ! Being a good people is pretty well but knowing why is the achievement of a deep reflection. Thank you for this teaching.

(4)
Steve,
September 2, 2013 12:58 PM

But charity always works

It is wonderful when one can give charity properly, but even if one gives for the wrong reason, the person receiving the charity still is helped, so even if you don't have the proper attitude, give and then give some more. Others can be helped while you work on your attitude.

(3)
Jaya,
September 2, 2013 12:58 PM

Compassion fatigue .

A new term for me is compassion fatigue , once again I found your article informative and profound . How and why we give has great impact on the giver but just the act of giving regardless of how or why , may have a profound impact on the receiver . So give and give as much as possible , and introspect if necessary but at least GIVE !

(2)
Anonymous,
September 2, 2013 12:57 PM

compassion fatigue

Compassion fatigue is a very interesting term. I did not know it exists. I work in the nursing home industry and in order to avoid compassion fatigue, I try to say aTehilim Psalm every time I hear of someone being sent to the hospital or passing away. I learned this from my son who was a Hatzala EMT. Every time there was a call he would say a Psalm as he raced out to help. Shana Tovah to everyone. May we be worthy of Hashem's kindness and benevolence.

(1)
Jeannette Zipes,
September 2, 2013 12:57 PM

why give?

very good and funny video good article.Yes we can become cold to others misfortuneMrs. Jannette Zipes

I live in rural Montana where the Cholov Yisrael milk is difficult to obtain and very expensive. So I drink regular milk. What is your view on this?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Jewish law requires that there be rabbinic supervision during the milking process to ensure that the milk comes from a kosher animal. In the United States, many people rely on the Department of Agriculture's regulations and controls as sufficiently stringent to fulfill the rabbinic requirement for supervision.

Most of the major Kashrut organizations in the United States rely on this as well. You will therefore find many kosher products in America certified with a 'D' next to the kosher symbol. Such products – unless otherwise specified on the label – are not Cholov Yisrael and are assumed kosher based on the DOA's guarantee.

There are many, however, do not rely on this, and will eat only dairy products that are designated as Cholov Yisrael (literally, "Jewish milk"). This is particularly true in large Jewish communities, where Cholov Yisrael is widely available.

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein wrote that under limited conditions, such as an institution which consumes a lot of milk and Cholov Yisrael is generally unavailable or especially expensive, American milk is acceptable, as the government supervision is adequate to prevent non-kosher ingredients from being added.

It should be added that the above only applies to milk itself, which is marketed as pure cow's milk. All other dairy products, such as cheeses and butter, may contain non-kosher ingredients and always require kosher certification. In addition, Rabbi Feinstein's ruling applies only in the United States, where government regulations are considered reliable. In other parts of the world, including Europe, Cholov Yisrael is a requirement.

There are additional esoteric reasons for being stringent regarding Cholov Yisrael, and because of this it is generally advisable to consume only Cholov Yisroel dairy foods.

In 1889, 800 Jews arrived in Buenos Aires, marking the birth of the modern Jewish community in Argentina. These immigrants were fleeing poverty and pogroms in Russia, and moved to Argentina because of its open door policy of immigration. By 1920, more than 150,000 Jews were living in Argentina. Juan Peron's rise to power in 1946 was an ominous sign, as he was a Nazi sympathizer with fascist leanings. Peron halted Jewish immigration to Argentina, introduced mandatory Catholic religious instruction in public schools, and allowed Argentina to become a haven for fleeing Nazis. (In 1960, Israeli agents abducted Adolf Eichmann from a Buenos Aires suburb.) Today, Argentina has the largest Jewish community in Latin America with 250,000, though terror attacks have prompted many young people to emigrate. In 1992, the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 32 people. In 1994, the Jewish community headquarters in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 85 people. The perpetrators have never been apprehended.

Be aware of what situations and behaviors give you pleasure. When you feel excessively sad and cannot change your attitude, make a conscious effort to take some action that might alleviate your sadness.

If you anticipate feeling sad, prepare a list of things that might make you feel better. It could be talking to a specific enthusiastic individual, running, taking a walk in a quiet area, looking at pictures of family, listening to music, or reading inspiring words.

While our attitude is a major factor in sadness, lack of positive external situations and events play an important role in how we feel.

[If a criminal has been executed by hanging] his body may not remain suspended overnight ... because it is an insult to God (Deuteronomy 21:23).

Rashi explains that since man was created in the image of God, anything that disparages man is disparaging God as well.

Chilul Hashem, bringing disgrace to the Divine Name, is one of the greatest sins in the Torah. The opposite of chilul Hashem is kiddush Hashem, sanctifying the Divine Name. While this topic has several dimensions to it, there is a living kiddush Hashem which occurs when a Jew behaves in a manner that merits the respect and admiration of other people, who thereby respect the Torah of Israel.

What is chilul Hashem? One Talmudic author stated, "It is when I buy meat from the butcher and delay paying him" (Yoma 86a). To cause someone to say that a Torah scholar is anything less than scrupulous in meeting his obligations is to cause people to lose respect for the Torah.

Suppose someone offers us a business deal of questionable legality. Is the personal gain worth the possible dishonor that we bring not only upon ourselves, but on our nation? If our personal reputation is ours to handle in whatever way we please, shouldn't we handle the reputation of our nation and the God we represent with maximum care?

Jews have given so much, even their lives, for kiddush Hashem. Can we not forego a few dollars to avoid chilul Hashem?

Today I shall...

be scrupulous in all my transactions and relationships to avoid the possibility of bringing dishonor to my God and people.

With stories and insights,
Rabbi Twerski's new book Twerski on Machzor makes Rosh Hashanah prayers more meaningful. Click here to order...